ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to jointly fight fugitivesand terrorists who threaten peace in the region, the foreign ministry saidon Sunday.
“The two countries will undertake effective actions against fugitives andthe irreconcilable elements posing security threats to either of the twocountries,” said a foreign ministry statement.
During the prime minister’s visit to Kabul on April 6, Pakistan andAfghanistan agreed on key principles to operationalise the working groupsunder Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity, it said.
Last week, Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to work together for peace.Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had met with Afghan President AshrafGhani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, among others, during hisone-day visit to Kabul and discussed the bilateral ties.
An official statement had said that the two countries agreed to work toachieve the common aim of regional security through connectivity. Abbasialso extended an invitation to President Ghani to visit Pakistan “at hisearliest convenience”.
The foreign ministry statement had said that the PM and President Ghanidiscussed the entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relations including peace andreconciliation in Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, the return of Afghanrefugees, bilateral trade and regional connectivity.
The prime minister had announced a gift of 40,000 tons wheat for the Afghanpeople. He had also announced waiver of additional regulatory duty onAfghan export to Pakistan to help lift the Afghan economy. The two sideshad also agreed to initiate discussions on consular matters and exchange ofcivilian prisoners.
During the Kabul visit, the prime minister had also met with seniorpolitical leaders including Gulbadin Hekmatyar, Ustad Mohammad Mohaqiq,Ustad Mohammed Karim Khalili, Pir Sayed Hamed Gailani, to convey thesupport of the government and the people of Pakistan to all ethnic groupsin Afghanistan and underscore Pakistan’s commitment to peace and stabilityin Afghanistan.
Last month, President Ghani offered unconditional talks to the Taliban atan international conference in Kabul to try to end the bloodshed in hiscountry. PM Abbasi supported the move saying instability in theneighbouring country directly undermined Pakistan’s security. The premierrejected as “a totally flawed narrative” allegations that Pakistan wascovertly supporting the Taliban to fuel the Afghan conflict.
On Sunday, the foreign ministry said that Pakistan supported the Afghan-ledand Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation. “The two countries to undertakeeffective actions against fugitives and the irreconcilable elements posingsecurity threats to either of the two countries,” it said.
The statement said that both the countries committed to denying the use oftheir respective territory by any country, network, group or individualsfor anti-state activities against either country.